Info on Nutritional Supplements
The most expensive dietary supplement you can take is the one that does not work, or even worse, may even cause harm!
The solution to your health problem depends to a large extent on the clinical effectiveness of your physician’s treatment program, which usually includes certain vitamins, herbs, and other nutrients.
Naturopathic doctors recommend nutritional supplements known to be among the safest and most effective available, based not only on their own and the collective experience of their colleagues, but also because the companies that they recommend have certain characteristics:
cGMP (current Good Manufacturing Principles)
Certification or even stricter FDA-registered drug establishment credentials. As important as GMPs are, they are simply very basic guidelines that outline what a manufacturer should and should not do to ensure the quality and purity of its finished products. But the specific details how to accomplish such an objective lies in the company’s internal Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), however, for many companies it often does not happen because of the extra expense.
Comprehensive scientific evaluation of ingredients
Quality ingredient selection makes the biggest difference in living up to its health-promoting potential. Bargain nutritional supplements, often made with low cost ingredients, risk safety and/or effectiveness.
Comprehensive safety reviews
Lost cost suppliers often don’t spend the time or money to conduct adequate medical literature reviews.
Human clinical evaluations
These are best for proving the potential effectiveness. Most providers, however, due to the extreme cost, do not invest in human clinical studies. The recommended nutritional products have often been the subjects of thousands of peer-reviewed-published clinical trials and studies, including one company that has been the subject of over 2,500 independent, peer-reviewed-published, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials and studies.
Scientific staff and facilities
An advanced scientific staff and sophisticated facilities are necessary to achieve true quality. Multiple scientific disciplines are required for thorough analyses of products and ingredients-genomics, proteomics, molecular biology, nutritional biochemistry, ethnobotany, food technology, formulation chemistry and clinical research all play a significant role.
Safety
Every batch of raw materials tested by independent laboratories for: microbiology (bacteria, yeast, mold, Salmonella, E. coli, etc.). Every batch of herbal raw materials tested for: herbicide and pesticide residue; heavy metals (lead, mercury, etc); chemical or solvent residue; aflatoxin; and others. Every batch of oil products (fish, flax, borage oil, etc) should be tested by independent laboratories for primary and secondary oxidation byproducts to test for rancidity and tested for authenticity, potency, toxic metals and other chemicals.
Organic certification
Hypoallergenic raw materials and the absence of flow agents in manufacture, and free from common allergens such as: wheat, dairy, yeast, corn, sugar, starch, preservatives, colors or hydrogenated oils, soy (except those supposed to contain soy).
Explore additional topics from Sacramento Naturopathic Medical Center with Dr. Godby, ND, MA and his team at Natural Wellness.
As a naturopathic doctor for the last 20 years, I have witnessed the power of a preventative lifestyle and naturopathic medicine to transform the health and lives of thousands of patients.
Sacramento Naturopathic
2530 J Street, Suite 100
Sacramento, CA 95816
Phone: (916) 446-2591
sac-nd.com/dr-dennis-godby-nd-ma